Have you always thought that real smart phones are in display of a cell phone shop? We hate to break it to you but you have been duped! Those are dummy phones most of the time. A dummy phone, or a non-working phone, is used commonly as a representation to indicate that the store have that model. More importantly, this is used to prevent theft of expensive phones.

You may have search the web and find no luck in searching info about these dummy phones. Well, fear not. This guide will delve into what’s inside a dummy mobile phone, how to spot a one from a real one, some examples of realistic toy cellphones and where to find wholesale dummy cell phones.

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What a Dummy Phone Interior Looks Like

You may think that it looks real from the outside. But, one Youtuber opened a Samsung toy phone to show what actually is inside of it in this video. Spoiler alert: don’t be surprised if we find no electronics in there.

First, he removed the top case (the one with the screen) and we can see that it’s just a cheap plastic that’s just glued to the metal body. The Menu button can easily be detached as well. Then, he showed the back part. He opened the cover and a thin metal sheet, which represents a battery, is attached in the middle. The camera is just a lens that is fastened on to what seemed to be the receiver.

Comparing a Dummy iPhone to a Real iPhone

Due to lack of resources online, we refer again to this Youtube video comparing a dummy iPhone 6 to a real iPhone 5s. The Youtuber who uploaded this first unboxed the iPhone dummy and when he flipped it, we can see that there is no Apple logo on the back. He said that the dummy iPhone 6 fits more comfortably in his hand than the actual iPhone 5s. The ports and buttons are really perfect replicas of the real ones.

Fake vs. Real: The True Test

Do you want to know if a phone is a counterfeit? These are some warning signs that you should look out for:

SUBTLE APPEARANCE DIFFERENCES: You might find it hard to search for differences at first glance because the fake one’s aim is to really fool you. However, a keen viewing might lead you to some obvious ones. Observe the color, location of buttons, size or spelling of the brand name. Counterfeiters are able to copy almost all the phone’s details down to very small ones. Therefore, it makes it more difficult to tell if a phone is original. As much as possible, you need to view the phone in person to scrutinize it properly.

FEATURES: iPhones made from China are the best example for this. One can hardly tell the difference between an Apple-made from China-made from the outside. But, once you opened them, the features are way too different. China-made iPhone iTunes app lead to Spotify. Like, what the heck? Then, the counterfeit display is much dimmer compared to the authentic one. The point here is you need to read the specs of the phone you are targeting to buy before making that purchase.

FUNCTIONALITY: Bogus phones are occasionally made out of cheap sub-standard components. Processing speeds are much slower. Also, operating systems might have missing essentials. That’s why the phone may not be compatible with affiliated software and applications.

WARRANTY: All manufacturers have a limited warranty for their products. One give away to tell if it is a fake one is when it doesn’t have a policy wherein you can return a damage product. So, beware!

PRICE: This might be the biggest sign that your phone is a counterfeit. If it’s a lot cheaper than the actual price, you might want to reconsider this. Remember to opt for quality rather than cheap without a guaranteed satisfaction.